Wesley Corpus

So at eight I preached in the Room again, purposing to preach in the street at noon; but Mr. Goodday sent me word, he was taken ill in the night, and begged I would supply his church: So atten I began reading Prayers, though I was so exceeding weak that my voice could scarce be heard; but as I went on, I grew stronger; and before I had half done preaching I suppose all in the church could hear. The wind drove us into the House at Newcastle likewise; that is, as many as the House would contain; but great numbers were constrained to stand in the yard: However, I suppose all could hear; for my weakness was entirely gone while I was enforcing those important words, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Mon. 6.--I rode to Barnard-Castle, and preached in the evening, but to such a congregation, not only with respect to number, but to seriousness and composure, as I never saw there before. I intended, after preaching, to meet the society; but the bulk of the people were so eager to hear more, that I could not forbear letting in almost as many as the Room' would hold; and it was a day of God’s power: They all seemed to take the kingdom by violence, while they besieged Heaven with vehement prayer. Tues. 7.--So deep and general was the impression now 136 REv. J. weslEY’s [June, 1763. made upon the people, that even at five in the morning I was obliged to preach abroad, by the numbers who flocked to hear, although the northerly wind made the air exceeding sharp. A little after preaching, one came to me who believed God had just set her soul at full liberty. She had been clearly justified long before; but said, the change she now experienced was extremely different from what she experienced then; as different as the noon-day light from that of day-break: That she now felt her soul all love, and quite swallowed up in God. Now suppose, ten weeks or ten months hence, this person should be cold or dead, shall I say, “She deceived herself; this was merely the work of her own imagination?” Not at all. I have no right so to judge, nor authority so to speak.